“Yay!” He was so glad Rhiya was still willing to work with him even though he’d apparently annoyed her initially. Raja really didn’t want his first class experience to be mentally noted as tried to be funny - got ditched by the prospective partner.

Rhiya was a very succinct person, he noted as he followed her down, his stupid kid legs doing their best to keep up with the Actual (But Small) Teenager. With the metal disc tucked safely in her arms - a way wiser choice than letting him carry it around - Raja was a little freer to hop to and from safe patches, straining to make it. For the first time in his life, he was grateful to be so leggy, as it let him stretch a little better and more than once kept him out of the lava. (Note that the lava was not in quotes. This was Serious.)

As much progress as it felt like they were making, they hadn’t actually gotten too far when Rhiya stopped. The first year dropped his feet hard, almost skitting to a stop to keep himself from bumping into her and pushing her into the lava. She turned and looked at him, and he looked quizzically back at her. “So, what do you think we should do to get across?” Rhiya asked.

“The rope one!” he called out with a big grin. “Carpe rectum.” No, that didn’t sound quite right. “I mean, uh, Retractem? Yeah! Retractem! That was it!” There was no ounce of humor to his tone, his own comedy lost of him by virtue of its accidental nature. “Hey, can I try doing it if I promise to try really, really hard and not blow off my eyebrows on purpose? Please?”

As Raja squeaked out something or the other about working together, Rhiya considered her options. She could ditch the first-year pretty easily and try the Lava Field on her own, but chances were... more

Of course Raja wanted to use “the rope one”. Rhiya had known he was going to say that as soon as he opened his mouth. For reasons she couldn't fathom, he seemed determined to blow his eyebrows off.... more

It seemed like she was going to say no, and Raja felt his disappointment mounting, but to his surprise and relief, Rhiya said he could try it. “Thanks!” he said, giving her a quick squeeze. He didn’t ... more

Rhiya stiffened at the unexpected hug from Raja then patted him on the back awkwardly. It was hard not to (unwillingly) kind of like the kid when he was this genuinely enthusiastic and excited. She... more

“Oh no, you fell?” Raja was far less concerned about the red-turned disc and more about the fact that she’d fallen over. “No worries about having to double back. You okay?” Rhiya didn’t seem hurt,... more

Rhiya waited semi-patiently as Raja pulled off a successful Wingardium Leviosa . “Nice job.” They only had to do this, what, another 30-40 times? She looked ahead eyebrows in dismay at how far they... more